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This is the ultimate guide for “The Cause, Symptoms, and Home Remedies for Indigestion”.
If you are suffering from an indigestion problem, you will love this guide.
According to a study conducted by the University of Gothenburg, 4 out of 10 adults are suffering from digestion disorders at any time.
That means nearly 40% of the world population suffers from digestion problems of different severity. All these problems start from indigestion.
So, if we cure or prevent indigestion from starting then we can easily prevent many digestion disorders such as constipation, chronic constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Peptic ulcers, hemorrhoids, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), etc.
Indigestion is not only the cause of digestive disorders, but it is also a cause of 80% of all diseases. In the same way, if you cure indigestion, most diseases are automatically cured.
We will start our discussion after understanding indigestion.
Table of Contents
1. What is Indigestion?
In simple words, indigestion is the trouble in digesting whatever foods you eat. When the food is not digested well, it causes indigestion.
The problem of indigestion can be occasional or regular.
If this problem remains untreated then it can lead to various digestion-related problems and diseases.
2. Causes of Indigestion Problems
There are many causes of indigestion. We will see most of them one by one.
1) Eating Excess Amounts of Food
Excessive eating is one of the major causes of indigestion. I have seen many people who eat up to their throats and then complain about indigestion.
Consuming excess amounts of food weakens your digestive fire and puts an extreme load on your stomach.
It makes it difficult for your body to digest food normally and causes indigestion.
2) Drinking Excessive Water Before, After, and During Meal
Today many health experts advise drinking water before meals so that you eat less and reduce your calorie intake.
But the major problem with this practice is that it lowers our digestive strength.
When we drink lots of water before, after, and during meals, it can dilute the acid present in the stomach which helps in the process of digestion.
And we suffer from indigestion.
3) Eating too Quickly and too slowly
When you eat quickly, it puts stress on your stomach and can become the reason for indigestion. Quick eating can also be the cause of obesity and less satisfaction with eating foods.
What is the problem with slow eating?
When you eat slowly, there is a chance that you eat more foods which can also be the reason for indigestion.
4) Eating Before The Previous Food is Digested
It is said that when we combine fresh foods with partially digested foods, it produces toxins in the body.
These toxins can be the reason for poor digestion and the deformation of the digestive system.
5) You Consume More Liquid or High Dense Foods
If a large part of your meal is liquid or high dense food then there is also a chance that you suffer from indigestion.
6) Sleeping Just After Having Meals
If you sleep just after having meals then you are doing cruelty to your digestive system. You should at least wait for 45 minutes to sleep after meals.
7) Taking Too Many Laxatives or Other Medicines
If you are taking too many laxatives and other medicines then it can be a reason for the problem of indigestion.
8) You are Already Suffering From Digestive Diseases
Though indigestion can be a root cause of almost all digestive disorders, it is also possible that you suffer from indigestion because you are already having these diseases.
9) You Suppress Natural Urges Such As Sleep, Fart, or Stool
If you suppress any of these natural urges then there is a 100% chance that you are or will suffer from indigestion soon.
10) Intestinal Parasites
If your body has become the paradise for intestinal parasites or worms then you may suffer from indigestion.
11) Irregular Timing of Eating Foods
If you have no fixed schedule to consume your meal then also there is a good chance that your body won’t be able to digest your food well.
12) Other Physical Conditions
Other physical conditions such as pregnancy, menstrual periods, menopausal period, etc can cause indigestion in women.
Other Causes of Indigestion
- Excess Consumption of alcohol and caffeine
- Smoking habits
- Consuming more spicy, acidic, fatty, and heavy foods
- Excess stress and anxiety
- Sedentary lifestyle
3. Symptoms of Indigestion
- Heaviness in the body
- Constipation
- Hardness of stomach
- You feel too early as you start your meal
- You feel bloating and belching all the day
- Pain, burning, or discomfort in your upper abdomen
- Loud gurgling or growling in your stomach
- Nausea and heartburn
4. Home Remedies for Indigestion
1) Ginger + Lemon + Rocksalt
Cut a few slices of ginger, squeeze a half lemon on them, and add a pinch of rock salt to them.
Eating 1 or 2 slices of them before having a meal can literally increase the strength of your digestive power.
You can also sprinkle a pinch of rock salt on a freshly cut ginger slice and consume it 5 minutes before the meal.
This remedy is best when you are eating a meal at late night when your digestive power is super low.
2) Have Fast For A Day
It is a simple home remedy that you can practice anywhere. If you are suffering from indigestion and can’t find any solution then you should fast at least for a day.
Fasting will not improve your digestive fire but also it will provide rest to your digestive system.
If you can’t observe a complete fast then you can eat fruits, light meals, or boiled vegetables for a day.
3) Drink A Glass of Warm Water before 30 Minutes of Having a Meal
Warm water is said to increase the strength of your digestive fire. So consuming it at least twice a day helps you a lot to get rid of indigestion.
Experts also suggest drinking warm water every 2 hours when you suffering from indigestion.
If you can’t practice it then you should at least drink it 30 minutes before lunch and dinner.
4) Pineapple Juice + Ginger + Black Pepper
Add a pinch of black pepper powder, ginger powder, and a half spoon of jaggery powder to a cup of pineapple juice.
Drink this digestion-friendly concoction three times a day.
5) Lemon Juice + Water + Baking Soda
Squeeze half of the lemon in a glass of water. Add a pinch of baking soda to it and drink it quickly. This home remedy can also be used in acute indigestion.
6) Onion Juice + Black Pepper + Honey
Take 1/4 cup of onion juice, add 1/2 teaspoon of honey, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper powder. Consume this digestion-friendly juice whenever you suffer from indigestion.
7) Include Foods That Are Rich in Dietary Fiber in Your Diet
Dietary fiber helps a lot in the digestion process. If you want to cure or prevent indigestion then you should fill up your diet with fiber-rich foods.
8) Herbal Mixture
For people with chronic poor digestion, prepare this herbal mixture:
1 part of trikatu
2 parts of chitrak
1 part of kutki
Take ¼ teaspoon of this effective formula before meals, with honey and fresh ginger juice. If you don’t have fresh ginger juice, just use honey. (Source: The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies)
This home remedy is extremely better at improving the strength of your digestive fire.
9) Abdominal Massage
Massage your stomach. It will lighten the tightened muscles of your stomach and increase the blood circulation through your digestive organs.
When you massage your lower abdomen, you push the locked-up gas and backed-up waste toward its natural exit. This can help put an end to bloating and constipation.
Massaging your stomach early in the morning can improve your bowel movements also.
10) Chamomile Tea
Chamomile has been used to improve digestion since ancient times. It calms the stomach and soothes the spasms in the intestinal tract.
Drink chamomile tea twice a day to improve your digestion.
11) Apple Cider Vinegar Can Help
Drink 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with a half-cup of water, especially if you have eaten a large meal.
It will help you digest the food if you don’t have enough acid in your stomach. You can also add a little honey to improve the taste.
12) Fennel or Caraway Seeds
Chew fennel or caraway seeds after having meals. They will not help your body improve digestion but also help you avoid bad smells from the mouth.
You can also make a cup of fennel tea. Steep 2 to 3 teaspoons of crushed seeds in hot water for 10 minutes. Strain and drink it.
13) Ginger Tea
Cut ginger into pieces and boil them in water. Strain the liquid and drink it before or after each meal.
Conclusion
Here, we have discussed the cause, symptoms, and home remedies for indigestion.
You are not supposed to follow every remedy mentioned here. You should follow one or two remedies to improve your digestion.
If you have any questions related to this article, you can ask me in the comment box.
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